Dress form for display stands



June 23, 1942. M. H. CASS DRESS FORM FOR DISPLAY smms Filed March 29 uAvAvAv' MAVAV INVENTOR. MONTE H. CAss ATTORNEY.

Patented June 23, 1942 l UNITED STAT-ES .1. gar OFF-ICE 2 Claims.

My invention relates to dress forms adapted for use in conjunction with display stands for displaying dresses and forms of apparel in stores and windows of stores.

It is a purpose of my invention to provide a simple and inexpensive dress form by which a dress can be supported on any conventional form of display stand, so as to give such form or shape to the dress that when viewed from the front it has the same general contour as when worn, thus displaying those features of design by which a particular dress may be characterized. It is also a purpose of my invention to provide a dress form which is particularly characterized by having members correlated, so that one wholly unskilled in the art of advantageously mounting dresses on forms for display can with dispatch and certainty properly position the dress on the form to advantageously display its design characteristics and particularly the waist or blouse portion of the dress.

I will describe only one form of dress form for display stand embodying my invention and will then point out the novel features thereof in claims.

In the accompanying drawing:

Fig. l is a view showing in side elevation one form of dress form embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a view showing the dress form in front elevation.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged view of the dress form in applied position on a display stand and with a dress on the two and in vertical section.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged transverse sectional view taken on the line 4--4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a view showing in front elevation a dress in applied position on the dress form and display stand.

Referring specifically to the drawing in which similar reference characters refer to similar parts in each of the several views, my invention in its present embodiment comprises a waistform member W, a skirt-form member S, a connector C for securing the two members to each other to form the dress form, and a pair of adjustable straps T connected to the member W and constituting an adjustable means for suspending the dress form on a display stand D.

The waist-form member W may be constructed from a single sheet of suitable material such as cardboard of a thickness to give permanent form thereto. In the present instance, the sheet is generally of V form to provide divergent arms 15, while its lower edge I6 is straight for a purpose to be described hereinafter.

The arms I5, adjacent the upper ends thereof, are formed with slots I! through which the straps T are extended, and these straps are provided with buckles t of any suitable form so that they can be adjusted as to length and thereby suspend the Waist-form member W at difierent heights from the top of the display stand D.

The skirt-form member S may likewise be formed from a sheet of cardboard which is elongated to correspond substantially to the length of a skirt and preferably of uniform width except at its upper end where it is reduced in width to provide a reduced extension l8. Where the reduction in width begins the sheet is formed with rounded corners 19 (Fig. 2).

As best shown in Figs. 1 and 3, the reduced extension l8 extends above and to the rear of the lower edge l6 of the waist-form member W, where it is permanently secured to the member by means of the connector C. This connector may comprise a block 20 of wood secured to the rear side of the member W at a point above but substantially parallel to the lower edge It. Nails 2| or other suitable fastening members are employed to secure member W to the block as described, and other nails 22 are employed to secure the upper end of the extension I8 to the rear side of the block.

The display stand D may be of any conventional form and in the present instance comprises a base 23 from which rises a tubular rod 24 in the upper end of which is received a solid rod 25. The rod 25 may be secured in any position of vertical adjustment by a set screw 26 (Fig. 3) threaded in a collar 24a on the upper end of the rod 24. Fixed on the upper end of the rod 25 is a hanger 21 on which the shoulder portions of the waist of a dress are received to suspend the entire dress on the stand.

In practice, my dress form is applied to the display stand by looping the straps T over the arms of the hanger 21.. Thus the dress form is suspended at the front of the display stand in the manner illustrated in Fig. 3 and Fig. 5. The dress to be displayed is now passed over the hanger and downwardly around the stand and display form so that the dress is suspended by the shoulder portions of the waist from the arms of the hanger.

With the dress applied as described the waistform member W is disposed in the waist of the dress and the skirt-form member in the skirt of the dress. By adjustment of the straps T the dress form can be adjusted vertically to cause the base of the extension l8 to be positioned just above the waist-line portion of the dress.

The dress shown in Figs. 3 and 5 is provided at the waist line with a belt, but whether so provided or not, the dress is now gathered at the waist-line thereof and constricted to snugly embrace the base of the extension l8. Following this, the constricted part of the dress is now elevated on the extension to a position in which a portion thereof is disposed to the rear of the lower end of the waist-form member W, thus turning the lower part of the waist around the lower edge I6 and upwardly to the rear thereof. Where the dress is provided with a belt, the belt is gathered with the dress, as will be understood.

By the application of a single pin to the gathered part of the dress at the back thereof (Fig. 4) the waist line portion of the dress can be secured in constricted form about the extension and in elevated position thereon to maintain the waist constricted at the waist-line, upturned at its lower portion, and the skirt fitted snugly over the rounded corners [9 of the skirt-form member. By securing the waist upturned at its lower portion a bloused eiTect is produced in the waist to lend thereto the contour assumed when worn. In causing the skirt to hug the rounded corners [9 a hip contour is given to the dress, while by maintaining the waist-line constricted a natural waist-line is lent to the dress.

Manifestly, through the use of a dress form constructed in accordance with my invention and applied to a display stand and dress as described, the dress is advantageously displayed with those frontal contours given thereto when actually worn. Because of the simple mode of application of the dress to the form, while necessitating the use of only a single pin, the highly advantageous display of the dress can be accomplished with dispatch and certainty and by one unskilled in the art of mounting dresses for display.

While I have shown anddescribed the display stand extended to a height which causes the display form and dress to be suspended a full length, it will be clear that because of the flexibility of the skirt-form member S, the display stand can be lowered to a position in which the member S is flexed forwardly with its lower end reposing on the floor to support and display the dress with its skirt extended on the floor.

Although I have herein shown and described only one form of dress display form embodying my invention, it is to be understood that various changes may be made herein without departing from the spirit of my invention and the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A dress form having a waist-form member; suspension means for said member; and a skirtform member depending from and at its upper end disposed rearwardly of the waist-form member, with the lower end of the latter extending below the upper end of the skirt-form member.

2. A garment form, comprising; a hanger element for supporting the shoulder portions of the garment; a member for supporting the waist portion of the garment; an element extending beneath and rearwardly of said member afiording attachment of the belt or Waist part of the garment thereto to give a bloused effect to the-waist portion by sliding the latter upwardly on said element; and. flexible lengthwise adjusta'b'ie' means supportably connecting the said member from said hanger element.

MONTE H. CASS. 

